The invention relates to a medication dispensing and packaging system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tablet cassette control method of a medication dispensing and packaging system minimizing errors resulting from instability of connection between a memory in a tablet cassette and a microcomputer.
An automatic tablet dispensing and packaging system is generally provided with a tablet packaging unit and a tablet dispensing unit placed above the packaging unit. The table dispensing unit includes tablet cassettes each storing therein and dropping therefrom a predetermined set of tablets. The prior arts disclosed in relation thereto include Japanese Patent Application Nos. 1994-208787, 1994-248055, 1994-256542, 1998-275670, 2001-00089865, 2001-00303159, and 2001-00376104. Each publication thereto discloses a system where a tablet cassette having a memory transmits tablet information of the memory to a controller.
FIG. 8 discloses Korean Utility Model No. 20-0276236 by the present applicant, titled a tablet cassette installation-error prevention system. As shown therein, a memory 101 having tablet information of respective tablet cassette 100 is provided in an adapter 102 installed in a lower surface of the tablet cassette 100. A terminal extending downwardly from the adapter 102 is inserted in a socket 201 formed in an upper surface of the cassette rack 200, and the microcomputer 300 connected to the socket 201 retrieves the tablet information from the memory 101. In this construction, a rotor 104 provided in the tablet cassette 100 and driven by a motor 202 serves to discharge tablets from the tablet cassette 100. Here, the rotor 104 makes a rotation in accordance with drive of the motor 202.
A disadvantage of the prior art is that the rotor's rotation inevitably generates vibration to the tablet cassette, subsequently causing the terminal to sway and resulting in intermittent terminal disconnection. Such terminal disconnection leads to errors in the memory so that the microcomputer does not recognize the cassette or erroneously reads it as empty. Another disadvantage is that frequent disconnection of the terminal from the socket breaks off the power from the memory, causing loss of tablet information.